Random Beautiful Medieval Towns That Are Shockingly Well Preserved (12 items)

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  (#8) Manarola

  • Province of La Spezia, Italy

  Composed of five towns, Cinque Terre sits along the coastline of the Italian Riviera. Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore each developed over centuries, with terraces built to accommodate grape, citrus, and olive cultivation alongside human residences.

  Access to Cinque Terre has always been limited, with footpaths serving as the easiest way in and out of the area since antiquity. As prominent fishing villages during the medieval period, the towns within Cinque Terre were visited by sea with increased frequency and, now, trains tunnel into the cliffs to offer additional ways in and out. 
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  (#7) York

  • North Yorkshire, United Kingdom

  York offers layers upon layers of history. Established by Romans, occupied by Anglo-Saxons, attacked by Vikings, and brought under Norman control by force, medieval York was a seat of political and religious power alike. Considered a second capital of sorts, York was increasingly fortified as conflicts with Scotland grew - resulting in the longest stretch of medieval city walls that still exist in England. 

  The York Minster, Gothic in style, sits atop the site of a wooden church built in 627. Cathedrals went up and down (on account of raids and unrest) through the 13th century when the modern building broke ground. Built over some 250 years, the York Minster features some of the most stunning medieval stained glass in existence.
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  (#9) Lacock

  • North Wiltshire, England

  Lacock, England, located in Wiltshire, traces its origins to the 13th century. As one of the standouts in Lacock, the Lacock Abbey served as Hogwarts for two of the Harry Potter films, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

  Lacock Abbey was established in 1232 and later dissolved under King Henry VIII. As a private residence from the mid-16th century forward, Lacock Abbey escaped complete demolition and maintains cloisters that date to the 15th century.
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  (#4) Dubrovnik

  • Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Croatia

  Jutting out into the Adriatic Sea, Dubrovnik served as a prominent maritime power during the Middle Ages - in large part thanks to the walls, towers, and turrets that surround its infrastructure.

  Dubrovnik was occupied during the Roman era, although it didn't flourish until the seventh and eighth centuries under the auspices of the Byzantines. By the 12th century, Dubrovnik was a thriving commercial center, a distinction the city maintained until the 19th century.

  Dubrovnik's famed walls were the site of filming for Game of Thrones, with the entire city representing King's Landing. Those walls were built as Dubrovnik's prestige rose, constructed atop existing wooden fortifications.
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  (#1) Rothenburg ob der Tauber

  • Bavaria, Germany

  Also known as Rothenburg ob der Tauber, or Red Fortress above the Tauber, Rothenburg overlooks the Tauber River. Inhabited during the prehistoric period, Rothenberg is best known for its medieval architecture.

  During the 11th and 12th centuries, Rothenburg gained military and political importance, ultimately becoming an imperial town during the late 1300s. Today, Rothenburg city hall building dates to roughly 1240 while half-timber and stone structures tracing back to the 14th century line its streets. 
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  (#12) Bruges

  • West Flanders, Belgium

  Bruges, established by Vikings during the ninth century, saw settlement as early as the Paleolithic period. By the 12th century, Bruges and its fellow Flemish cities began to dominate the cloth market, facilitating Bruges' placement as a warehouse location within the Hanseatic League during the 14th century. 

  Bruges developed into a wealthy, cosmopolitan city where Gothic art and architecture - much of which remains in tact - soon dominated the landscape. Bruges was also one of the cities that fostered the Flemish Primitive school of painting during the 15th century. 

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